


Mark of the Dragon

by Writingishardman



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fae Magic, Gen, dragon!Raihan, dragon!bede, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23163850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writingishardman/pseuds/Writingishardman
Summary: Mark of the Dragon; A curse long ago cast upon a select few for unforgivable crimes by the fae themselves.Those with the curse are gifted with the strength and flames of legendary dragons but in return the afflicted lose control of themselves and transform into their true forms when exposed to the energy of Eternatus. The Marked have evolved and adapted to their situation and have found various ways to keep themselves in check due to the knowledge passed down through many generations.Bede was one of these born to the lineage of cursed humans with dragon's blood. Unfortunately for him, he and his family know nothing about this supposed curse. At the first signs, his life begins to shatter until he's alone.That is, until the chairman of the Pokemon League finds him in an orphanage.(tags will update as the story progresses)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I literally started writing this thing simply because I loved Druddigonite's lovely dragon Bede fic and their amazing art of said floofy dragon. And then I blew it up into this mess. Make sure you check out Drud's stuff though! (they were awesome enough to let me use their dragon Bede concept for this)
> 
> Drud's floofy dragon Bede art:  
> https://druddigoon.tumblr.com/post/611043090701139968/this-is-the-most-overdone-idea-at-this-point-but
> 
> Drud's fic:  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/22911559/chapters/54763228

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First couple of chapters are mostly exposition, a lead up of how Bede ends up in the care of the chairman basically. Hopefully it's not too big of a mess.

\--

As a boy Bede lived a normal life. He had his parents then, he had friends and his love for Pokémon and Pokémon battles. He was happy.

Unfortunately that all changed when he was around the age of ten.

Circumstances change of course, life happens. He never expected things could go so wrong so quickly though. He didn't know what was happening, he didn't understand and quite frankly still doesn't.

Everything changed when one day his head started hurting. It wasn't like a headache though, it felt more like a dull ache closer to the back of his skull. He'd never experienced such a feeling before so when it persisted for a few days the small boy was obviously somewhat panicked. Even more so when he went to rub the aching spots and finds bumps there that clearly hadn't existed before.

He'd gone to his mother then. Complained about the pain he was feeling and he was quickly rushed to a doctor.

The first few doctors they went to see had no idea what was wrong with him. This wasn't very reassuring to him and his parents obviously.

Seeing his parents so worried in turn worried him. What could possibly be wrong with him? 

At one point the pain had gone away.

But the growths hadn't.

"They seem like horns. I’ve never seen something like this before. . ." He remembers hearing a doctor mention to a nurse.

Surely it had to be some sort of mistake? People don't have horns. There must have been some sort of misunderstanding.

He would like to have believed that but he's felt them. Slightly high on the back of his head, in his thick curly hair a few inches from his ears is where they rested. Hard and smooth, curved in a way that the point turned skyward. There were a couple of light grooves in them, the protrusions themselves roughly the length of his longest finger.

Over time his appearance wasn’t the only thing that had changed. Interactions with his family changed. When his aunts and uncles would come over after his parents explained his current condition they became wary of him. In turn his cousins would avoid him and during family gatherings he'd find himself completely alone.

This eventually spread to his friends. He knows that his parents had a hand in it, probably telling his friends' parents about his horns. His friends stopped coming over to play. They'd ignore him at school. They even went so far as to start rumors about him. Saying he was some sort of monster disguised as a child.

He'd be lying if he said that it didn't hurt. He wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of showing this affected him though. He knew he was normal, he wasn't some sort of animal. He was still the same person he had always been and they were the ones who were behaving differently, not him.

\--

He lost count of how many doctors his parents had taken him to. He was getting annoyed. The pain was gone now, couldn't they just forget this mess and move on? He wanted to forget the implications these horns had. That their existence immediately made him abnormal. He was still the same boy. Surely his mum and dad realized this?

At one point even his parents gave up on the doctors. They didn't give up on solving the mystery of their horned son though. In the area he lived in outside of Galar's mainland at the time the people were highly superstitious and religious. Things like temples were somewhat commonplace.

He'd never have expected his parents to take him to one of these places to have him 'cured' though.

"So tell me, do they hurt?" One man who oversaw the temple asked him, his robe a blinding white and gold.

Bede had shaken his head, explaining that after they had stopped growing they had also stopped hurting.

"Did you always have them?"

Another shake of his head. Could this man get on with it? Surely these were answers his parents had already given.

"Has anything else on your body changed besides these?"

"No."

The man seemed to have this look in his eyes that said he knew what he was looking at. It annoyed Bede.

"Could you please just tell me what's wrong with me so my family and my friends can stop treating me like some sort of freak?!" Bede had snapped, his mother gasping at his outburst, his father moving to scold him for his behavior.

"Bede, don't be rude," his father had said.

Don't be rude? He was far from being the rude one here! He'd been putting up with this treatment for over a year now! They were the ones treating him differently when it wasn't necessary. He was normal! The way they glanced at him, like they felt sorry for him when he really knew that they saw him as some sort of monster-a freak. The way they murmured about his condition, saying that it wasn't normal.

He'd had it.

"I'm not being rude! I just want you to stop treating me like I'm different!" He practically roared at them.

It was then that his life changed again. In his moment of anger he hadn't noticed the purple flames that seemingly ignited right off of his skin, his burning amethyst eyes narrowed to slits.

"He bears the Mark of the Dragon! This is no boy! He's a cursed beast!" He remembers the man shouting, his parents looking at the boy in horror.

He turned to the man then, his blood boiling, his vision going red. This man knew nothing about him and he dared to say such a thing?

He was livid, something within him triggering him to growl, the flames burning brighter, teeth grit.

He doesn't remember what happened to him after that.

\--

He later regained consciousness back at his home, he was tucked into bed. Looking out the window the sun was low in the sky. Flashes of purple flames played in his head.

No, it must have been a dream.

His stomach grumbles hungrily, perhaps mum was done making supper? It was almost time now that he looked at the clock.

Exiting his room he's startled by a sound.

Sobbing. It sounded like his mother. What happened?

He heads down the hall to his parents bedroom, the door was closed but leaning against it he could clearly hear his mother crying.

His heart squeezed in pain at the sound.

"I know, darling. It isn't easy for me either but what other option do we have?" It was his father. He could picture him holding mum close, trying his best to comfort her.

"He's our son. What kind of mother am I thinking about leaving him?"

Leaving him? What on earth did that mean?

"You saw what happened at the temple! He's not our boy, he's a monster! Some sort of demon! The curse the man spoke of is obviously true, we saw it with our own eyes. We don't have a choice. The boy we knew doesn't exist anymore," there was a tremble in the man's voice.

How could this be happening? Did no one see him anymore? Was he really replaced by some sort of creature and he was the only one unaware of the change? He felt the same as he always had! He may have changed physically but that was it!

He felt numb. He returns to his room, quietly closing the door, leaning against it. 

He doesn't know how long he stood there as tears began rolling down his cheeks.

\--

His home no longer felt warm and welcoming. School was much the same. His interest in studying things that he loved like Pokémon and battling wavered.

He started ditching school. He spent time out in the woods near his house.

They were more welcoming to him anyway. At least the Pokémon didn't judge him.

He was waiting for the inevitable. They said they were going to get rid of him. 

He didn't have the heart to run.

His parents may have given up on him but deep down he still loved them and he prayed to Arceus that he'd wake up from this nightmare and be back with the parents who loved him.

That day never came.

But the day where he was left at an orphanage did.

\--

From what he understood was that his parents moved away and were unable to take him with them. Or so that's the story that the orphanage was given. Of course he knew the truth.

The first weeks were spent in hope of his parents' return. Surely they wouldn't leave their son here. Mum was sure to feel awful about what she did and come running back to get him. Dad would be less than forward about the mistake but say that he missed him anyway and that he was glad to have his boy back.

That didn't happen.

\--

Time went on, and kids will be kids. It was only a matter of time before he wound up in a fight.

"Look at this kid. He's all skin and bones, no wonder your parents dumped you here," a boy about his age laughed as he and his group of friends approached the boy.

Bede looks up from his book where he sat beneath one of his favorite trees in the yard, a bored expression on his face.

“You know you’re here because you don’t have parents either,” he comments as he turns his attention back to his book. He just wanted to read about Pokémon type advantages, this kid needed to leave him alone.

“A smart guy, eh?” the other boy grumbles as he yanks the book from Bede’s hands. “Well at least my parents didn’t just _dump_ me here like yours did!”

Well isn’t this kid just a pleasant flower?

Getting to his feet Bede glares at the boy and his friends for a moment.

“I’m going to ask you one time to give me my book back or I’m going to have to do something you _really_ won’t like,” Bede growls. “Give. Me. My. Book.”

“Ha, poor bookworm is going to cry because he doesn’t have anywhere to hide anymore!” the boy laughs, his group of friends cackling alongside him.

Well. He gave him a chance. Balling his hand into a fist he launches a quick punch to the boy’s face knocking him to the ground.

“I did warn you,” Bede huffs at the boy on the ground crying in pain, a couple of his friends trying to aid him, the others turning to the curly haired boy ready to fight.

“If it’s a fight you want, it’s a fight you’ll get!” one of them says.

Idiots. He didn’t even want to be bothered let alone fight, they were the ones looking for trouble. Irritation bubbled inside of him as the two kids tackled him.

Unfortunately for them he was able to push them off with relative ease, the punch that connected with his cheek hurt for a moment before going numb as he retaliated. Another punch connects, this time Bede’s fist against the shorter boy’s nose with a snap and a shriek of pain. He’s tackled again, the other boy opting to bite Bede’s arm instead.

_So now they also want to fight dirty? Why can’t they just leave me alone?_

Irritation boiled over into anger. His eyes narrow and he could feel heat under his skin, threatening to break through.

The other boy manages to get him into a headlock as Bede attempts to shake him off. He decides it’s time to return the favor as he manages to pull the boy’s arm away slightly before giving it a hard bite.

He can hear the boy’s scream right against his ear as he cried for Bede to let go.

He refused. He bit harder, a growl deep in his throat.

He could feel it. The heat underneath his skin was almost overwhelming, the air leaving his mouth and his nose felt unbearably hot, like the air near an open flame.

Suddenly he tastes the copper tang of blood against his tongue and he’s startled back to his senses, releasing the boy who in turn fell to the ground clutching his arm.

He’s aware now of the crowd that had formed around him and his adversaries. All of their eyes reflected horror and fear.

He’s brought back to that day his parents took him to the temple. That same look in their eyes.

He really was a monster.

\--

Bede tried his best to stay out of sight. He dreaded the idea of someone finding out about his abnormality. But living in such close quarters with dozens of other restless children only meant he could at most delay the inevitable.

Eventually the day came when he got into another scuffle with one of the more aggressive kids. This boy was a couple years older than him and he seemed to enjoy fighting above all else. On top of that he was much bigger than Bede was, so fending him off was more difficult than the others.

“You just love ignoring everyone don’t you?” the boy scowls as he shoves Bede to the ground. “What, do you think you’re too good to talk to the other kids or something? Or are you just _sad?”_ he mocks.

“No, I’d just rather not waste my time on stupid brutes like _you_ ,” Bede scoffs, the older boy making an angry noise at the insult.

As Bede made to get up the other boy pushes him back down, Bede catches himself with his hands in the dirt, knees scraping the rough ground. The breath is knocked out of him as he’s pushed flush against the ground, one of the boy’s hands on his shoulder, the other in his hair as his face is shoved into the dirt, his right cheek stinging from the small sharp rocks being pressed into his skin at the pressure.

“Ow, what the-” the boy above him snatches his hand away from Bede’s hair.

“Get off of me, you barbarian!” Bede shouts as he catches the boy off guard and quickly rolls over and knocks him aside.

Bede hurries to his feet as the other boy remains on the ground nursing his hand, blood trickled from a cut in his palm.

“How the hell did-?” the boy looks at his injury in confusion then turns to Bede. “What did you do to me?”

“I-I didn’t do anything! This was _all_ you!” Bede defends as he pointedly looks away, arms crossed.

“Oh yeah? Well, genius I don’t think anything I did would cause _this,”_ the boy says as he shows Bede his bleeding hand. “Are you hiding a knife or something in your stupid hair?” he snaps. “The only way you can win fights is by fighting dirty? Well, we’ll see what the caretakers have to say about this!” he adds as he gets to his feet and sprints across the yard back inside.

“W-wait! No! Come back here you idiot!” Bede calls in panic as he bolts after him.

\--

“What on earth?” one of the caretakers questions after they managed to pin Bede down.

He shouldn’t have been surprised that they’d want to resolve the issue with the other boy’s bleeding hand. The pansy did as he said and went crying to the caretakers and accused Bede of having some sort of weapon somehow stashed away in his curly hair. At first they seemed less than convinced but after seeing the boy’s bleeding hand they really had no choice but to investigate didn’t they?

But did it have to be in front of an audience?

He felt warm. There was that heat under his skin again. It had been slowly building as he struggled against the adults trying to hold him in place. He had managed to fend off the caretakers until about the fifth came to help pin him down. 

Now, they were no doubt gawking at his less than normal features.

“What the hell is this?” another asks as they tug at one of the horns.

“Hey! Don’t do that!” Bede snaps at the uncomfortable contact, the heat under his skin spiking.

“Quiet, you,” another snaps back.

“So what are we supposed to do about this? What even is _this?”_

“Are these attached to his head?”

“Looks like it,” yet another tug at his horns.

His blood is boiling now.

“I SAID DON’T DO THAT!” Bede roars as he tries to push himself up again.

His anger helps him find more strength as he manages to lift himself a few inches before the adults double-down on their efforts to keep him in place

“LET GO OF ME!” he shouts, the air leaving his body was unbearably hot, like a fire.

He can’t help but wonder if they can feel it.

More caretakers come to aid the others. He looks at all of the other children who were standing nearby watching as he’s being restrained. Didn’t these stupid kids have something better to do than watch this mess?

Heat. His blood was on fire. Why couldn’t they leave him alone?

“Arceus, this kid isn’t normal! He’s stronger than a damn Machamp!” one comment from the caretakers stands out.

That’s it. He’s had it.

With another shout and a mighty heave Bede manages to free himself, his vision obscured slightly by purple flames.

Panicked screams and shouts fill his ears as he turns to confront the caretakers who were now either getting to their feet or raising their arms in surrender, some of them with singed clothing. He’s vaguely aware of the kids scattering and running in panic.

“What the fuck are you?!” one of the adults still on the ground shouts, their clothes blackened from Bede’s flames.

Wait. _His_ flames. Realization hits Bede like a truck as he looks down at himself. 

Sure enough, the fire was very much coming from him, it was burning his clothes. But he didn’t feel it. The fire was dancing off of his skin harmlessly.

How could this be?

What was he?

\--

No one dared to approach him again. Not other children, not the caretakers.

No one pried, and frankly he was okay with that.

The more they left him alone, the happier he would be.

\--

His life would remain in a repetitive loop for the next three years.

Failed placements. Pointless sessions with therapists.

Anger.

Loneliness.

\--


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MORE EXPOSITION, YO
> 
> And then we get into the goods I guess?
> 
> Sorry for this mess, enjoy it anyway.
> 
> Oh, yeah, remember to check out Drud's stuff that inspired this mess if you haven't done so already.

\--

“I have to admit, Rose, I’m not entirely sure about this idea of yours,” Raihan comments.

“We’re already here, could you at least humor me?” the man in question turns to the Dragon-type Gym Leader. “So you’re sure you’ll be able to tell if one of these kids is Marked?”

“I’ve got it covered. I’ve got quite the radar for this kind of thing. Haven’t been wrong before!” Raihan says confidently.

“Right. Well, as long as you’re confident that you can spot them,” Rose says with a sigh. “We must find the One, Raihan. Galar depends on it.”

“You’re not still hung up on that old tale are you? I told you there’s no definitive proof behind it. It’s hard enough finding those with the Mark of the Dragon, let alone the One.”

“It’s the only hope I’ve got to hold on to. Without it Galar’s future is as good as over,” Rose insists.

Raihan heaves a sigh, admitting defeat. “Well, if that’s how you feel about it then I suppose I’ll help you as much as I can.”

“Thank you, Raihan,” the chairman says with a grateful smile. “None of this would be possible without you or your family.”

“I’ll say, it’s a nice change of pace having someone actually appreciate us for once. I know my ancestors caused a lot of pain with what they did all those centuries ago, and after our bloodline was cursed it only continued on longer. It’s time we do something to help this land for a change,” Raihan murmurs, determination sparking in his blue-green gaze.

The door to the room opens as Oleana and Leon enter.

“Sir, the preparations for your presentation are ready,” Oleana says.

“They’re a rowdy bunch!” Leon adds with a laugh.

“Ah, wonderful,” Rose replies. “Come now, Raihan. Can’t keep the kids waiting!”

\--

“Are you certain you didn’t see a single one?” Rose presses.

“I am absolutely positive. I mentioned before, those with the Mark are rare these days. Sure a few hundred years ago they were running rampant throughout Galar but now? You’d be lucky to find many outside of my family with the way we were hunted in the past,” Raihan answers.

“Well, regardless we must press on. I will update you on our next presentation,” Rose hums thoughtfully.

“Keep me posted. And I’ll keep an eye out, you can count on that.”

\--

There's excitement buzzing in the air at the orphanage today. Part of Bede is vaguely aware as he studies his newest battle strategy book.

"I can't believe that Gym Leader Raihan and Champion Leon are gonna be here with the chairman of the Pokémon League! Do you think they'll be bringing Pokémon with them for us to see?" He overhears a girl speaking with her friend.

"From what I hear they are! It's going to be amazing!" The girl's friend answers excitedly.

Right. He'd forgotten that there was going to be a presentation from the chairman, Champion and a Gym Leader from the heartland of Galar here today. Something about wanting to motivate kids from all walks of life to participate in the Gym Challenge.

Funny. From what he understood you still needed a sponsor. Someone to endorse you for your Gym Challenge so even if someone wanted to take part they'd still have to find someone willing to give that endorsement.

Well, not like it really had anything to do with him anyway.

\--

As was expected, the chairman, Champion and Gym Leader arrived later that day. All of the kids clamoring over them excitedly.

There was a spark in Bede that wanted to reignite his excitement and love for Pokémon and battling but each time that spark went off it would fizzle away just as quickly leaving him uninterested in the presentation. Instead of watching and listening he decides to go outside and read some more under his favorite tree.

After a while it seems the presentation is moved outside. The three adults release their signature Pokémon for the children to see.

His curiosity gets the better of him as he lifts his gaze from his book and looks across the yard at the group. A Copperajah, Duraludon and Charizard stood proudly before them. He could hear the chairman talking about how these Pokémon were different from others of their kind as they had the capability to Gigantamax. He remembers reading about that once. It was an interesting concept.

Suddenly an ice cold chill runs down Bede's spine. His senses immediately going on high alert.

Taking another quick glance at the group his eyes lock with a set of teal ones.

It was the Gym Leader. He remembers watching shows and reading magazines about him. He's the strongest Gym Leader in the Galar League. Raihan, the tamer of Dragon-type Pokémon as people liked to call him.

Once his eyes meet Raihan's own he finds himself unable to look away. 

He bristles, the hair on his neck standing on end. It was like he was frozen, he couldn’t look away, the man’s teal eyes almost drawing him in. It’s then that Bede swears he sees the man’s pupils narrow into slits almost like the eyes of a Dragapult.

Suddenly startled, Bede closes his eyes, shaking his head as he tries to push away the uneasy feeling in his stomach.

He takes a glance back at the tall man, but now he's talking to the chairman. Bede looks back down at his book. Surely he just imagined everything?

He takes a deep breath, trying to settle the beating of his heart and pushing down the adrenaline that was injected into his blood for seemingly no reason. He stares blankly at the book in his hands.

"A young boy like you reading such advanced battle strategy material I'd imagine would love the presentation that we have put together," a voice snaps Bede's attention back.

Looking up again from his book he's surprised to see the chairman of the Pokémon League, Rose. Raihan stood next to him, the man much taller than he had ever expected him to be.

Bede scrambles to his feet, uttering an apology.

"Oh, uh, I-" he glances over to the group of kids playing with the three Pokémon, Champion Leon joining them in the fun while the chairman's assistant keeps an eye on them. ". . .don't necessarily like being in large groups. I’m sure your presentation was amazing though, I would have loved to see it,”

_It was only half a lie. . ._

Rose gives the boy a thoughtful look before he turns to Raihan, an unspoken message seemingly passing through them as the taller man nods his head.

"A boy your age reading such complicated material is quite the sight. But, there is so much more you could learn," Rose says. "Do you have a Pokémon of your own?"

"Me? I'd love to have my own Pokémon but no, I've never had one before," Bede answers.

Bede glances at Raihan, eyes meeting for a split second but that feeling from earlier was gone.

_Get it together, Bede, you’re just imagining things again._

"Well, how would you like to become a Pokémon Trainer?" Rose asks.

Bede freezes. His gaze quickly flicks between the two men, trying to find any deceit or any reason to believe this was some sort of joke.

"I-I would love to become a Pokémon Trainer!" He stammers out.

"Mr. Rose!” a voice interrupts, Bede recognizes it as one of the caretakers. The woman quickly approaches the other adults. “Excuse me, but. . .” she glances at Bede hesitantly and then whispers something to the chairman.

The look on the man’s face changes, his eyes unreadable now as he continues speaking with the caretaker. Raihan’s eyes light up as he overhears something before he turns his attention to Bede.

“A-ha! So I was right, eh? We got ourselves a little firecracker!” Raihan says as he flashes a smile at Bede, the man’s unusually sharp canine tooth catching the boy’s attention.

\--

A few days after the presentation Bede receives a visit from Oleana, the chairman’s assistant.

“Good evening, young Bede,” the woman greets him. “I’ve come with some news from the chairman for you.”

“The chairman?” he echoes.

What on earth could a man like the chairman want with an outcast like him?

“Yes, the chairman wants to enroll you in a Trainer’s school. He will cover your expenses of course, so long as you are interested and doing well in your studies there. He just wants to know whether you accept or not,” she answers.

“He wants to _what?”_ Bede asks dumbfounded. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. Now, do you accept the offer?” she asks, her expression blank and giving nothing away.

“I- well, of course!” Bede stammers out in excitement.

“Very well, we will send these details to you once the enrollment process is completed. I wish you luck,” the tall woman responds as she turns to leave.

Bede stares after her retreating form in shock. Was this real? Was he really going to become a Pokémon Trainer? 

His dreams were finally coming true!

Suddenly the smell of something burning catches his attention. Looking down he sees a plume of purple flames on his shirt, the fabric being scorched.

“Bloody hell!” he cries out in panic as he pats down the flame in an attempt to smother it.

\--

The following week Bede is visited by chairman Rose, his assistant present as usual.

“Hello, sir!” Bede greets the chairman.

“It is nice to see you again, uh. . .” the man responds as he stops seemingly forgetting the boy’s name.

“Bede,” the boy says.

“Yes, of course, it is such a unique name,” the chairman continues. “I’ve come to give you your first Pokémon so you’ll be ready for your classes.”  
  


Reaching into his pocket the chairman then hands a Great Ball to Bede, the boy taking it into his hands with care.

“This is Hatenna. She’s a timid little Pokémon but I believe a boy like you could bring out her full potential,” the man says to him with a smile.

“Hatenna?” Bede repeats as he looks at the ball in his hands, excitement bubbling in his stomach. “I will take very good care of her, sir! She and I will be an unstoppable team, just you wait!” he says confidently.

“Good to hear, I have no doubt that you will make a fantastic-”

“It is time for us to get going,” Oleana cuts in. “You wouldn’t want to be late for your next meeting.”

“Ah, yes, of course. Well, I wish you luck, I will check in on you again soon,” Rose says as the two take their leave.

He could hardly believe it. Was there really a Pokémon in this ball? Bede makes his way outside to his usual spot under one of the large trees, the other kids making sure to stay clear of the boy’s path but he pays no attention to them.

He looks at the Great Ball, hesitating for a moment before he hits the button in the center. A flash of blue light blinds him for a moment before his new Pokémon appears. She was a small and unimpressive looking creature but that didn’t dampen Bede’s excitement.

“No way. . .” he breathes as he looks at his new partner.

He really did have his own Pokémon now. He couldn’t believe it!

A familiar heat quickly rises to his skin at his excitement. His right sleeve is the first thing to ignite, purple flames burning the long sleeve of his shirt.

“Oh for the love of Arceus, not again!” Bede squawks as he pats down the flame on his arm, Hatenna scurries away into a nearby bush in alarm.

He really needs to stop setting himself on fire like this.

\--

Bede quickly learns that his Pokémon very much dislikes large groups like he does. His poor Pokémon also seemed to be terrified of him and would often scurry away from him. He was disheartened at first but he was able to find a book to help with caring properly for his small Pokémon. 

He soon realizes that his partner isn’t actually _scared_ of him, rather she doesn’t like his roller coaster of emotions. As a Psychic-type Pokémon with the ability to feel the emotions of others he supposes that he’d hate himself too for causing such a ruckus with unruly emotions. Bede takes it upon himself to learn how to control and calm himself with various exercises that he learned from another book he once got from an old therapist.

He had never really expected such a thing to come in handy, but it served its purpose and over time his precious Pokémon warmed up to him and would no longer attempt to flee in his presence.

She still didn’t like being out of her ball at the orphanage all that much though which meant Bede only had his partner to talk to whenever he was allowed to leave for Trainer’s school.

At this point, it was better than nothing.

\--

Rose and Oleana would frequent the orphanage, dropping in about once a week to see how his studies were going. 

It was refreshing to have contact with people again.

How long had it been since people treated him normally?

He’d just about forgotten what that was like.

\--

All of his time and energy went into his studies and caring for Hatenna. A pleasant and warm feeling often accompanied him now. A feeling he’d never thought he’d experience again.

He was happy.

He had Rose to thank for this change in his life and he’d be damned if he did anything to disappoint the man who gave him a second chance. He’d strive in his studies, he would be the greatest Trainer to ever walk the land of Galar. He was going to show this man that his time and energy wasn’t misplaced in any way.

It was the only way he’d be able to truly show how thankful he was and how much he appreciated the man for what he’s done for him.

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like setting Bede on fire. Don't @ me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mess continues! Enjoy friendos.

\--

He was surprised when Raihan had come to see him. Sure, the Gym Leader often accompanied Rose when the man came to see him, but he'd always thought that the taller male was tagging along for some business they needed to take care of after their visit. 

"Raihan? What are you doing here?" Bede asks him curiously when the man appears at the door to his shared bedroom.

"Come on, I can't visit my favorite Pokémon Trainer?" He asks with a smirk.

"T-that's not what I meant!" He blurts. "It's just that normally you're here with the chairman."

"Ah, well, today I wanted to have some one-on-one time with you is all," Raihan answers as he pulls up a chair to sit next to Bede at his desk.

"Oh. . ." Bede purses his lips. "Why?"

"I wanna know how your studies are going, and see if I've gotta fix any trouble you've got with any of these rowdy kids," he adds jokingly.

"Oh, please. You know I can handle them. And as for my studies I am doing quite well. This is exactly the kind of thing I needed," Bede replies, the boy unable to stop the tug of a smile on his lips.

"Good to see you're doing so well. You're quite different now than when I first met you, much more confident," Raihan comments, the sincerity behind his words making Bede stiffen in his seat.

"Is that. . . Bad?" He can't help but ask.

"Hm? No, of course not. Change can be scary, sure, but sometimes it's for the best, you know?" Raihan answers somewhat perplexed by Bede's reaction.

"Yeah. . . " Bede replies half-heartedly.

Raihan sits back in his chair more comfortably as he prepares himself for the real reason behind his visit today.

"But you know all about change," Raihan remarks. "Don't you?"

He watches the boy freeze, the pencil in his left hand gripped so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Something like that," was Bede's muttered reply.

"How old were you when it happened?" the man asks curiously.

". . . When what happened?" Bede asks warily.

"When your Mark of the Dragon appeared," Raihan asks simply.

The pencil slips from Bede’s hand as memories echo through his mind. He's vaguely aware that he's shot up to a standing position, his chair knocked over as he backs away from the Gym Leader.

"H-how do you know about that? Who told you?" Bede stammers out, panic and fear mixing in his tone.

"Woah, relax," Raihan says, slight concern in his eyes but the rest of his demeanor remained calm. "No one _told_ me anything."

"Then how do you know what that man said to me then? Did you speak to my parents?"

"Eh?" Raihan was confused now. "No, I can just tell when someone's Marked, it's a bit of a special trait that my family line shares-"

"You keep talking about a 'Mark', just like the clergyman did. No one else has said that to me before. Surely you must have spoken with him or my parents!" Bede accuses. "Did you come here to tell me you were going to tell the chairman that I'm just some kind of monster? A wild animal that he shouldn't waste his time with? So then he'll forget about me and leave me like they did?"

"Bede," Raihan says calmly in an attempt to reign in the panicked boy in front of him. "I'm not here to do any of that. I want to help you."

"Help me?" He echoes in disbelief. "You have no reason to help me, so why would you?"

"Because I'm like you," Raihan answers.

"How could you possibly be anything like me? I'm a freak, a _monster_ ," Bede says through grit teeth.

"No," Raihan says sternly. "No you are not. You and I may be cursed with the Mark of the Dragon but that doesn't mean we aren't both still human."

There were those words again. Words that plagued his dreams at night, that haunted his memory.

"What. . . What is this 'Mark of the Dragon' that you keep talking about?" Bede asks again, his mouth dry. "I only heard it once before, that it's a curse or something but. . ."

"You mean your family never told you?" Raihan asks in surprise.

He'd come to speak to Bede in regards to his Mark but he hadn't even thought about the possibility that this boy knew _nothing_ about it.

"Told me what? If you know what's wrong with me then just come out with it already!" Bede snaps.

There was that feeling again. It had been a while since he last felt this way. That burning under his skin. Everything felt much too warm, his blood beginning to boil.

"Bede, take a deep breath for me," Raihan answers instead, voice calm.

"And why should I do that? Just answer the bloody question!"

The heat was building. He was angry. This man needed to answer his questions. He knew something and Bede needed to hear it.

"I will but I need you to calm down before you set off your flames! Do you _want_ the caretakers to come in here with your shouting and the room set on fire?!" Raihan says in a stern but hushed tone.

"Flames?" Bede's anger is shoved aside quickly as the words bring back the memory of that day at the temple. That day in the orphanage where he gave himself away.

"What do you mean set them off?" He continues as he looks to the Gym Leader.

“Oh, so you have seen your flames before?”

"W-what? Yes, but- how do you know-"

"We’re cursed, Bede,” Raihan cuts in. “You and I were born to bloodlines that have been cursed for the last few centuries. Those flames you’ve seen are only a small part of it. They’re normally triggered by strong emotions. There is a lot more to this that I’ll have to explain to you later on. It’s far too much to go into detail right now,” the man says with a sigh.

Bede's mind was buzzing, so many thoughts and questions filling his head. 

"So. . . I _am_ different?" Bede all but whispers.

Raihan looks at the boy in front of him to see the many conflicting emotions reflecting in his purple gaze.

“You really don’t know anything at all about the Mark of the Dragon?” Raihan asks curiously.

“N-no, nothing at all. . .” Bede answers quietly. “The first time I even heard about it was back when I was about eleven. My parents were trying to find out what was wrong with me and when none of the doctors had answers they decided to take me to a temple. I got upset while I was talking with one of the clergymen and I. . . that was the first time I saw the- _my_ flames. All I know is that whatever that man told my parents scared them enough for them to want to get rid of me. . .”

Raihan’s heart squeezes in pain for the boy. To think that he’d gone all this time not knowing about his condition. More surprising that he hadn’t managed to get into any serious trouble.

"We are both different from what humans are supposed to be, yes," Raihan confirms. "But whether you believe it to be a good or bad thing lies in what you do with the knowledge that I'll give you."

Raihan gets to his feet. There wasn't much else he could do right now. He didn't want to risk saying more in case someone was listening. The orphanage wasn't necessarily the most private place for a conversation like this.

"I'll talk to you again soon, I promise," the Gym Leader reassures as he makes for the exit.

He doesn't get very far before Bede grabs his wrist.

"W-wait! How can I be sure you'll come back. . . ?" The words fall quietly from Bede's mouth, Raihan turns to the boy to find him looking at the ground and not at him.

He could feel the trembling in Bede's fingers as his grip tightened around the man's wrist.

Raihan's teal eyes cloud thoughtfully as he considers what Bede is implying.

Of course after finding out that he had a wealth of information that could help him the last thing he'd want would be for him to leave. 

Leave to never return like the boy's parents.

"Here," Raihan says as he uses his free hand to pull a Poké Ball from his sweater's pocket, Bede lifting his gaze to look curiously at the tall male. "This is Duraludon. He's the one I use for all of my big matches. I'm going to leave him here with you for now. I'll trust you to take care of him and then you'll be able to trust me to come back. Deal?"

Bede takes the Ultra Ball into the hand he had previously used to stop Raihan. He looks at it for a moment before locking his eyes with Raihan's own.

"Deal," the boy agrees with a nod, a small smile on his lips.

"Good. I'll see you later, kid."

\--


	4. Chapter 4

\--

"To think all of that work scouting schools, and even a dozen orphanages only to come up with one," Rose sighs.

He was in the company of Leon and Raihan in his office at Rose Tower, the three meeting to discuss their next step.

"If I'm going to be honest I'm surprised we even found one. I'd say it's even better for you that the boy happens to be an orphan, you won't need to worry about parents stepping in the way," Raihan comments.

"I don't even want to know what kind of a mess would come from this situation if the boy wasn't an orphan," Leon murmurs.

"What are you going to do, anyway?" Raihan asks Rose. "You're not seriously going to take him in  _ just _ because he's Marked, are you?"

"I have to. For the future of Galar," Rose replies simply.

"I can't say that I like your idea. Even if he is Marked you and I both know that he's still human and should be treated that way. Using him like this? Simply because you hope he's the One actually makes me sick," Raihan growls in discontent.

"You say this as if I  _ want _ to use the boy. He's a means of getting what we need-"

"You don't know that," Leon cuts in. "Raihan has explained it time and time again. There is no guarantee that the story of the One is even  _ real _ . Despite that, here you are. About to adopt this kid simply because of the  _ potential _ of him being the One. I can't say I agree with it either."

Rose remains quiet. Thoughts flickering in his eyes. He knew it was wrong to take in this boy who's undoubtedly suffered a lot in his short lifetime so far simply for the hope of him being the one to set his plans in motion. But Galar was going to die. He loved his country. He couldn't bear to see it die like this when he knew there was something he could do.

"I understand how you both feel but this is a sacrifice that has to be made. We need Eternatus. We need its energy. And we need a way to control it long enough for us to capture it so we may use it," Rose insists.

Raihan gets to his feet, jaw tight, hands at his sides balled into fists.

"When it comes to this I will always disagree with you," he says as he looks down at Rose, blue-green eyes narrowed in disgust. "I don't agree in using this kid as some sort of tool. He's still human, he has emotions, and clearly he's suffered a lot through his life having been cursed by the Dragon's Mark and left at an orphanage because his parents didn't understand. I will train him, I will tell him everything I know about the curse that has been plaguing us for centuries," he continues. "But I will not manipulate him. I will treat him the way people are supposed to treat him."

Rose and Raihan's gazes remain locked for a few more heartbeats before Rose speaks again.

"And that is your choice to make," he concludes. "I must thank you for taking this task."

"Don't thank me," Raihan mutters bitterly. "I'm not doing this for you."

\--

Bede eagerly awaited Raihan's return.

He had so many questions, he wasn't even sure he'd be able to remember them all when he  _ did  _ come back.

He lay in his bed listening to the breaths of the other children while he remained awake with the Ultra Ball containing Duraludon in his hand as Hatenna was curled up comfortably on a pillow near his head.

Maybe things will finally make sense. What exactly was this curse? Was it really the reason behind those flames that burst out of him that day and threaten to do so whenever he becomes irritated or angry? Did it also have to do with his horns?

Would Raihan know why he was cursed to begin with? How did this happen without him or his parents knowing?

The biggest question is  _ how. _ How does a curse even happen? Magic? Was it caused by Pokémon?

Whatever the case was, Bede spent many nights sleepless until the chairman and Raihan came to visit again.

\--

He wasn't sure what to expect when he'd been taken to the main offices in the orphanage. Was he in trouble? He'd done his best to stay out of fights, he didn't want to make himself angry. Raihan warned him and he was going to take that advice.

"Head on in, dear," the old caretaker gestures to Bede as she holds the door to one of the offices open.

"Thank you," he says with a slight bow.

"Ah, there he is!" He's greeted by none other than the chairman himself.

"Mr. Chairman! It's a pleasure to see you again!" He exclaims as he hurries over to the man.

"Yes, yes, I do apologize. I'd meant to stop by sooner but I had a few things that needed my attention."

"We have some exciting news for you, Bede," the head caretaker says to him.

"Very good news indeed!" The chairman agrees with a smile. "I've decided to take you in, my boy."

Bede's eyes widen in shock, mouth agape.

Had he heard that right?

\--

"Make sure you have all of your belongings, my dear. I know you have the habit of making your way back here but I certainly hope you can make it work with Rose. He's a kind man and you'll be the only child so none of that senseless fighting of yours," one of the elderly caretakers nagged as Bede gathered his belongings.

This old coot didn’t seem to care if Bede had the ability to spontaneously combust, she would always treat him the same as the other kids. Bede wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

"Hm," Bede answers, hardly paying any attention to the old woman.

How could he? Rose was coming today to take him to his new home. Up in Wyndon of all places. The location of the greatest stadium in all of Galar. He'd be able to watch all of the exhibition matches and tournaments live! His excitement was through the roof, a pleasant warmth in his chest that only grew as he thought of all of the exciting things that were waiting for him in his new home!

Okay, perhaps that warm feeling was getting a little  _ too _ warm . . .

"Shit!" Bede exclaims in realization as he tries to think of something-  _ anything _ , to calm himself.

"Bede, are you even listening to me?" The old woman chides.

"Huh? I- yes of course! It's just that I remembered something! I'll be right back!" he lies as he bolts for the washroom.

Quickly he runs the faucet and splashes himself with water as he tries to get his excitement under control. There's a slight hiss as the cool water touches his skin, heat dissipating quickly.

Seems like he was pretty close to lighting himself on fire again.

He’d discovered that Raihan was very much correct in regards to his flames being activated by strong emotions. He tried recalling every time he’d set them off and it was always when he was angry or extremely excited. And this is possibly the most excited he’s ever been so it was no surprise.

After a few moments he dries his hands and face before heading back to his room.

He'll be able to hold it together. No problem.

In the hall he runs into the old caretaker again, the woman carrying a couple of his smaller bags.

"Come now, dear! They've arrived!" she says excitedly as she hurries away past Bede.

"Really?" The boy asks excitedly.

This was it! Time for the next chapter in his life!

Hold on, what smells like something-

Oh, wonderful. 

Looking down at his hands he sees those purple flames again, the fire licking his long sleeves causing them to singe. 

He flails in panic as he bolts to the washroom again.

\--

After resolving his situation Bede hurries to gather his remaining bags as he all but sprints outside.

"Ah, there he is!" Raihan calls out, the man leaning against a large silver SUV. "Any more bags, or is this it?" He asks.

"No, this is it," Bede confirms as he looks around. "Where is the chairman?"

"Oh, him?" Raihan begins a bit hesitantly. "He, uh. . . got caught up in a meeting. So he sent me instead. I sure hope you don't mind having the Great Raihan instead of the chairman," he jokes, flashing Bede his signature smile.

"Well. . ." Bede begins. "I suppose it could be worse," he says with a smirk.

"Hm, guess I should have let Leon come and pick you up instead then. I know for the next time you need a ride I suppose," Raihan fires back, feigning disinterest.

"For the love of Arceus, please don't leave me with  _ him _ . I've heard of his awful sense of direction. I'd never get to my destination," Bede sighs.

Raihan laughs before he helps Bede load up his remaining luggage. The two then hop into the vehicle. Raihan pauses before he starts the engine and looks at Bede.

"Have you ever been to Galar's mainland?" He seemingly asks out of the blue.

"Me? No, I've always lived out here. Why?" Bede asks curiously.

"Well, in that case good thing I brought this," Raihan answers as he reaches for something in the seat behind Bede. "Here, you're going to need this," he says as he hands Bede a plain white box.

"What is it?" Bede questions as he opens the package.

"It's a Dynamax band," the Gym Leader replies. "You're going to need it when we get to the mainland."

"Isn't this used to Dynamax Pokémon in battle if you're at a Power Spot?" Bede asks, a bit confused. "I don't really think I'll be battling in Power Spots any time soon."

"Well, for most people that's it's main purpose," Raihan answers before he pauses. "So I take it you've never transformed then?"

"I've never  _ what?" _ Bede echoes.

Please Arceus let this be some sort of abstract question.

"Considering your reaction I'm gonna go ahead and mark that off as a 'no'.”

"Hold on,  _ what?" _ Bede asks again. 

"It's part of the curse, Bede," the tall man verifies. "Don't worry, we'll get you settled in Wyndon and as soon as we can I'll get you to Hammerlocke and explain everything in detail to you. We have all the information you'll need in the Vault library. For now though, put the Dynamax band on and  _ never _ take it off. Especially at a Power Spot."

Bede took the Dynamax band out of the box and inspected it for a moment. He guessed this was another one of those things he had to trust Raihan with. He could only hope none of this would come and bite him in the ass later.

"So, do I want to know what happened to your sleeves?" Raihan asks with an eyebrow raised and an amused grin on his face as Bede slips his Dynamax band on.

"Nothing!" Bede snaps immediately as he attempts to hide the scorched edges of the fabric.

"Really? Looks to me like you've gone and set yourself on fire again," Raihan says with a knowing look.

"It's none of your business!" Bede barks, fighting his embarrassment.

"You did, didn't you?" Raihan gawks before he howls in laughter at Bede's expense, the boy going red up to his ears.

"I-it was on purpose! I wanted to do this," he defends with a cross of his arms.

  
"I'm sure you did," Raihan says as his laughter dies. "I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to make you uncomfortable, you just reminded me about how hard of a time I had controlling that bloody fire when I was a kid. Hell, I  _ still  _ have trouble with it," the man confesses, Bede's embarrassment fading as he looks back at the Gym Leader with curiosity. "We'll get you some fire-resistant clothes once we get to Wyndon," Raihan reassures as they pull away from the orphanage.

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are enjoying this so far, it's been fun to write.


	5. Chapter 5

\--

Wyndon was absolutely breathtaking. The city was much larger than Bede's hometown and the boy couldn't help but think how hopelessly lost he could get in these streets.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Raihan asks in a soft voice.

"I'm fine," he replies.

Raihan has been asking that same question the whole way to Wyndon and Bede was starting to feel a little annoyed.

"Why do you keep asking anyway?" Bede decides to finally ask.

"I just want to make sure the Dynamax band is working," the man replies simply.

Well that was hardly an answer. Bede glances down at his wrist where the band rested. _Why_ did he _need_ this? What the hell did Raihan mean when he asked him if he had 'transformed' before.

This curse was sounding more and more terrifying as time went on. No wonder his parents dumped him when they got the chance.

_Nope, not going down that rabbit-hole,_ Bede thinks to himself with a slight shake of his head.

Bede casts a side-glance at Raihan. Well, he supposes the curse couldn't be all that awful if Raihan's managed to live with it and acquire success.

Even if he found that the man had managed to raise more questions than he's answered, Bede can't deny that he has at least some level of appreciation for him. The Gym Leader had no reason to help him, no reason to share the knowledge he had with him, but here he was. Going out of his way to help.

An idea even his parents weren't willing to entertain.

\--

For a man of such high prosperity the chairman had a relatively modest home. A large kitchen, living and dining area with a guest room and bathroom downstairs and another three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.

“Rose said you could pick any of the guest rooms as your own,” Raihan says as he helps bring Bede’s luggage into the house. “I’ll go ahead and grab the rest of your stuff if you want to go check out the rooms,” the man offers.

“Sure,” Bede agrees. “Thank you, Raihan.”

“No problem,” the Gym Leader says as he goes back outside.

Bede heads upstairs and opts for the bedroom at the end of the hall after seeing the view the room had. Looking out of the bedroom window he could see Wyndon Stadium in the distance, its bright pink lights captivating and he couldn’t imagine a better view.

\--

Bede slept like a rock that night. He’d managed to unpack about half of his bags with Hatenna’s help before he made the mistake of taking a quick break by laying down on his new bed. At one point he fell unconscious.

Only to be startled awake by Raihan.

“Hey kid! Wakey wakey!” the man shouts from his spot at Bede’s opened bedroom door.

Bede jumps awake, looking around frantically as he wipes away drool with his sleeve.

“What the-” he starts in confusion.

“Pfft, ya didn’t even finish unpacking! Guess I can’t blame you though. We did have a bit of a long trip yesterday,” Raihan chuckles.

“What are you doing here?” Bede asks through a yawn.

“Got a text from Oleana. We gotta head to Rose Tower and get you your fancy new fire-resistant clothes!” he answers. “I was thinking we head to Hammerlocke afterwards. Enlighten you, and all that. Oh, and get my Duraludon back, got a battle against Leon comin’ up so I’m gonna need my partner back,” he adds with a playful smile.

“You mean I’m finally going to get some answers out of you? Well that’ll be a nice change of pace,” Bede answers back sarcastically.

“No, a nice change of pace would be getting something other than sass out of that mouth of yours. But hey, we can dream, right?” Raihan fires back. “Anyway, I’ll wait for you downstairs. We’ll stop by a café for some breakfast on the way!” he adds as he heads down the hall.

\--

Rose Tower was absolutely massive. This thing was like the Raihan of buildings; unnecessarily tall. 

“Come on, can’t keep Oleana waiting. She’ll lose her mind if we’re late,” Raihan jokes as the two head inside.

It’s then that Bede is struck with a very odd sensation. His skin prickled. He felt like he was being restrained, trapped. But not by anything or anyone, but as if his body was too small for him and he was trapped within his own skin. He looks at his hands but everything seems normal, even if it didn’t _feel_ like it.

He then notices the small symbol on his Dynamax Band flashing. Did it always do that?

“Bede! Let’s get a move on!” Raihan’s call snaps him from his thoughts, the man waiting by the large elevator.

“Right, sorry!” he answers as he hurries after the Gym Leader.

\--

“You know, at this point I should just walk around wrapped in a fire blanket,” Bede says as he looks at his reflection after putting on the clothes he was given.

The magenta coat was like a trench coat and went down to his knees. At least the shirt and pants were more comfortable and a lot like some light sportswear. He couldn’t say he immediately fell in love with this oversized jacket though.

“You complain about it now but you’ll be happy when you don’t burn your clothes off and end up naked in an inconvenient place. Trust me, I speak from experience,” Raihan comments. “Besides, it doesn’t look bad. It’s just different from what you’re used to.”

“Uh-huh, ‘different’ is certainly _one_ way to describe it,” Bede mutters.

This feeling was getting worse. He felt like he was ready to scratch off his skin with how absolutely trapped he was feeling. He kept flexing his fingers and shuffling his feet, unable to stay still, and he had to fight the urge to grind his teeth as they seemed to itch. Even his horns started to ache and it had been _ages_ since those had caused him any kind of problem.

What the hell was wrong with him now?

\--

Once they exited the building it was like Bede was able to breathe again. He heaves a sigh as the tension leaves his body. Raihan turns to him curiously but says nothing and instead takes his Rotom Phone out to call for a Flying Taxi.

“Next stop, Hammerlocke,” he says as their ride lands nearby.

\--


End file.
